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Chicagoland collegiate athletic conference
Tigers Edged Out for GPAC Berth
Posted: Feb 20, 2016

Tigers Edged Out for GPAC Berth

The women's basketball team had their season come to an end on Saturday in a winner advances to the postseason game as the Tigers fell 89-80 to Northwestern. The two teams were battling for the final GPAC bid. Doane ends the year 15-15 overall and 8-14 in the GPAC.

Doane trailed by two points, 12-10, midway through the opening quarter before Northwestern went on a 10-0 run behind six points from Paige Danner and four from Kassidy De Jong. The Tigers held the Red Raiders scoreless over the final two minutes of the quarter and Hanah Barnard (JR/Beatrice, Neb.) hit a pair of 3-point shots to cut the deficit to six points, 24-18, after one quarter of play.

Northwestern had a one-point edge in scoring in the 2nd quarter and led 45-38 at halftime. Doane was able to pull within three points, 32-29, with 4:19 to play following a three-point play from McKenna Dodd (SO/Lincoln, Neb.) only to have the Red Raiders answer with a 3-point bucket from Morgan VanDerSloot.

Neither team shot particularly well in the 3rd quarter, a combined 7-of-28. Northwestern was able to open a little space on the scoreboard, leading 63-50 at the buzzer. The Red Raiders opened the 4th quarter on a 12-5 run to take their largest lead of the game, 20 points. The Tigers battled right back, cutting the lead with a 10-0 run as Shelbi Bittinger (SR/Milford, Neb.) and Barnard had four points apiece. Doane continued to try and chip away at the deficit but Northwestern went 10-of-14 at the free throw line in the final four minutes of play.

Barnard led the Tigers with 22 points and pulled in seven rebounds. Dodd added 17 points, knocking down four 3-point baskets. Bittinger added 14 points, three assists and three steals while Heather Broman (SR/Geneva, Neb.) added 12 points and a game-high eight rebounds. Bittinger and Broman were joined by fellow senior Claire Phillips (SR/Wisner, Neb.) in playing their last game as a Tiger and Phillips posted four points.

The Red Raiders received 29 points from De Jong as she led all scorers. Danner added 13 points and Renee Maneman finished with 11 points and five assists.